lyrics in songwriting blog

Woman Walk the Line

2009-11-29T10:27:00.000-08:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
"Woman Walk the Line" music and lyrics by Emmylou Harris and Paul Kennerley

I first bought the album, The Ballad of Sally Rose, when it was released in 1985, and it is still one of my favorite Emmylou Harris albums. There's just something about the first five songs that grab me every time. To tell you the truth, I don't even think I ever made it to side B of the album back then... I just kept playing the first five songs over and over again (playing my guitar and singing along the entire time!). (and yes, when I say album here, I really do mean vinyl!)

The Ballad of Sally of Rose is a concept album, based on Harris' relationship with the late Gram Parsons. The story is about a girl, Sally Rose, who was born on a Sioux Reservation in South Dakota ('raised with a proud but wandering heart'). Sally leaves her home in South Dakota to follow her passion and pursue music ('she had stars in her eyes and greater expectations'). She plays a bunch of gigs around town, meets a hard-living/hard-drinking musician/mentor, joins his band ('next thing Sally knew she was one of the band'), and -- although she tries to resist -- falls in love with him ('heart to heart there'll be no other'). There's more to the story than this, but but I'm ending my description here because this is where "Woman Walk the Line" comes in.

Lyrics to Woman Walk The Line :
(Emmylouy Harris / Paul Kennerley)

Don't bother sittin' at my table
Just because I'm on my own
Yes I'm a woman and I'm lonely
But that don't mean I can't be strong

Once again he's not beside me
And tonight he won't be coming home
So I just need a place to miss my baby
When he goes out to do me wrong

Tonight I wanna do some drinkin'
I came to listen to the band
Yes I'm as good as what you're thinkin'
But I don't wanna hold your hand
And I know I'm lookin' lonely
But ther's nothin' here I wanna find
It's just the way of a woman
When she goes out to walk the line

Every night's a little longer
Than the one that came before
But when I hear them sing a sad song
I know just what I'm cryin' for

I don't wanna stay home waitin'
Don't have to wonder where he's been
He'll be someone else's baby
Before he's in my arms again

I have to say that this song 'gets' me every time. It's so simple, and it's so real. I love the opening two lines ('Don't bother sittin' at my table just because I'm on my own'). This is plain 'no frills' language, yet I can 'see' and 'feel' everything so clearly. I know Sally's in a bar, I know she's alone, I know she's angry and I also know she's sad. That's a lot to know in a small amount of time. This sets the scene and the mood perfectly. I'm hooked from the very beginning. This is good storytelling.

As the song progresses, you realize that Sally is struggling -- she admits outright that she's lonely...but she's trying to be strong. More importantly however, we learn that she's 'used to' being alone... this is no isolated incident ('once again he's not beside me'). And, since this has happened before, she knows exactly how the evening will play out ('and tonight he won't be coming home'). But here's where the 'hammer' really hits... here's where we learn the full extent of the situation -- it's when Sally laments 'So I just need a place to miss my baby when he goes out to do me wrong.' Wow, these are some pretty powerful words! We now know that he is cheating on her -- and not for the first time either!

As we move through the chorus, we feel Sally's anger and frustration growing. We find out that she just wants to drink, listen to the band, and be left alone. We know that men are trying to pick her up, and she's just not interested. Then Sally relents, and reveals to us that 'It's just the way of a woman when she goes out to walk the line'. Now, I'm sure there are a few different ways to interpret these particular lyrics. Maybe 'walk the line' implies doing the 'right thing' even when it's not easy (i.e. not straying even though he is). Or maybe it implies moving through a situation with 'blinders' on (i.e. looking straight ahead so you don't 'see' the situation you're in). My takeaway is that Sally is trying desperately to stay in control of her emotions and thoughts - and life -in an unbearable and uncontrollable situation (even if that 'control' means drinking to forget). She 'sees' her situation all too clearly, but she can't change it... she can't control him or what he's doing...the only thing she can do (with great strength and effort) is control her reaction to it all. She must essentially 'pretend' that everything's 'okay' in order to cope and function in her relationship. The 'walk the line' analogy here being -- a 'drunk' must focus hard to maintain control so that he/she can walk in a straight line (an impossible and 'uncontrollable' task for someone who's intoxicated) in order to prove to an officer that he/she is sober.

As we move into the third verse, we learn that these lonely nights are beginning to take their toll on her ('every night's a little longer than the one that came before'). That's such a 'telling' line... you can almost hear her heart breaking at this point. We sense that the nights are excruciatingly long for her. And although she's 'used to' being alone every night, it's just not getting any easier for her (as a matter of fact it's getting harder). I mean, can you really get 'used' to someone cheating on you???

In the forth verse we learn why she's at the bar. Quite frankly, she just doesn't want to stay home waiting for him anymore. We sense that maybe (once upon a time) she used to sit around at home, waiting and waiting, driving herself crazy, wondering where he was -- but now, thanks to experience, Sally knows exactly what he's doing... there's no need to guess... ('don't have to wonder where he's been, he'll be someone else's baby before he's in my arms again'). This is another 'hammer' for me, perhaps even more painful than the first - because it really drives home the fact that Sally is fully resigned to the situation. We know now that, no matter how many times he's cheated on her, and no matter how much it hurts her, Sally fully intends to be with him again ('before he's in my arms again'). She has reached the point of no return... she's desperately in love with him and has no other choice than to accept him and the situation for what it is.

Overall, I think one of the reasons I like this song is that Sally is so human. She's a strong, independent woman, yet somehow she let herself fall in love with someone who constantly hurts and disappoints her. She's angry, she's sad, she's frustrated, she's vulnerable. She has great resolve, yet she is resigned. She's trying to forget, yet she has a clear understanding of her situation. In a nutshell, she's a woman who's struggling to hold onto a failed relationship.

The Ballad of Sally Rose

Emmylou Harris links:
Emmylou Harris: The Ballad of Sally Rose
Emmylouharris.com
Emmylou Harris Wikipedia

Lyric and Songwriting Links

2007-10-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example: n/a
Songwriting Tools: Lyrics and Songwriting Links

Since I started this blog, I've been surfing the net looking for credible, well-informed songwriting and lyric websites to link to. Unfortunately I stumbled upon many sites that offered sub-par information and/or were just trying to make a quick sale. Luckily today, however, I came across some sites that offer some interesting and informative articles on songwriting -- particularly by Mary Dawson, Ken Hill and Paul Zollo. See links below.

Mary Dawson: Advice for the Independent Songwriter
http://www.musesmuse.com/marydawson.html

Articles by both Mary Dawson and Ken Hill
http://www.lyricalline.com/articles/index.html

Songwriting Tips: Ken Hill
http://www.lyricalline.com/articles/21songwritingtips.html

FAQs answered by Paul Zollo
http://www.lyricalline.com/songwriters/

Given the expertise and robustness of the above links, you may want to check out these books:

Songwriters On Songwriting: Revised And Expanded

How to Get Somewhere in the Music Business: From Nowhere with Nothing

Ne Me Quit Pas

2007-10-17T22:03:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
"Ne Me Quit Pas" music and lyrics by Jacques Brel
English Translation: "Don't Leave Me Now" lyrics by Des de Moor

This song has long been my favorite Jacques Brel song - whether it's sung in English or French. I will say here however, that I'm not a big fan of the most popular English lyric translation, "If You Go Away" recorded by Sinatra and many others. The below lyrics are translated as "Don't Leave Me Now" and are much closer to the original French lyric than "If You Go Away" although I suspect that, even so, some of its beauty may have also gotten lost in translation.

In any event, I am struck by the poignancy of the lyrics (the pleading and promises) as well as the interesting phrasing. Notice the 'pivotal' lines in the verses -- for instance is the phrase 'all we can forget we must forget' or is it 'we must forget all we did till now'? Is the phrase 'for you I'll invent words and what they meant' or is it 'And what they meant only you will know'? Lots of play and interpretation for a good song stylist (aka vocalist). Also take note of the internal rhyming in the bridges (i.e. scorched fields of defeat will give us more wheat).

"Ne Me Quit Pas"
By Jacques Brel (music and lyrics)
English Translation "Don't Leave Me Now" lyrics by Des de Moor

Don't leave me now
All we can forget
We must just forget
All we did till now
Let's forget the cost
Of the breath we've spent
Saying words unmeant
And the times we've lost
Hours that must destroy
Never knowing why
Everything must die
At the heart of joy
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now

I'll bring to you the clear pearls of rain
From a distant domain where rain never fell
And though I grow old I'll keep mining the ground
To deck you around in sunlight and gold
I'll build you a domain where love's everything
Where love is the king and you are the queen
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now

For you I'll invent words
And what they meant
Only you will know
Tales of lovers who fell apart
And then fell in love again
Since their hearts stayed true
There's a story too
That I can confide
Of that king who died
From not meeting you
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now

And often it's true that flames spill anew
From ancient volcanos we thought were too old
When all's said and done scorched fields of defeat
Will give us more wheat than the fine April sun
And when evening is nigh with flames overhead
The black and the red aren't they joined in the sky
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now

I will cry no more
I will talk no more
Hide myself somehow
And I'll see you smile
And I'll see you dance
And I'll hear you sing
Hear your laughter ring
Let me be for you
The shadow of your shadow
The shadow of your hand
The dog at your command
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now

PS: There's a wonderful version of this song by Barb Jungr on a CD called Chanson: The Space In Between. Actually the entire CD is well worth the investment. All of the songs are wonderful...not one dud. Beautiful arrangements and interpretations.

Chanson: The Space In Between

Jacques Brel and Barb Jungr Links:
Barb Jungr: Chanson: The Space In Between
Jacques Brel Wikipedia
Ne Me Quitte Pas Wikipedia
BarbJungr.co.uk/
Barb Jungr Wikipedia

Joe Montana and The Art and Magic of Songwriting?

2007-09-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
Book Excerpt: The Art and Magic of Quarterbacking by Joe Montana

"Remember, the more you throw, the better you get." – The Art and Magic of Quarterbacking, Joe Montana

Okay so I have to admit that I was such a huge Joe Montana fan back in 'the day' that I lost all interest in football after he retired (what was the point of watching football without Joe anyway?). There was just something so great about him -- his commanding yet understated presence; his extreme professionalism and ability to perform well under pressure; his calm, cool and collected appearance ---- and his last-minute-4th-quarter-no-way-anyone-can-pull-this-off comebacks... I mean who wouldn't want to be like Joe?

Now... any book written by Joe Montana will undoubtedly make it into my book collection and I have been known to wait in line for hours just to get him to sign one of his books for me --- but who could have ever guessed that a quarterbacking book written by Joe would be one of my favorite books on musicianship!!! But there you have it... I'm sure that this has absolutely everything to do with all those years of study under my Vocal Coach and Mentor (thank you Janet!) learning how musicians are akin to athletes --- that we must constantly and consistently do repetitive drills; we must practice diligently and specifically to address our trouble spots; we must maintain a clear, calm and centered focus (aka be 'in the moment'); we must continue to build our tools so that we can effectively think on our feet; and we must study our craft so relentlessly that everything eventually becomes 'instinctual' enabling us to transcend the mechanics and create art. Let me tell you, if I didn't know any better I would have thought that Janet was Joe's ghost writer!

So let me take this one step further... I'm sure that we can all see how the above principles apply to musicianship in regards to mastering an instrument, but I want to stress here that the same principles also apply to songwriting. Any good book on songwriting will tell you that you must "practice practice practice" in order to develop your skills (repetitive drills), you must work on eliminating your weaknesses (practice diligently and specifically to address your trouble spots), you must maintain your focus (be 'in the moment'), you must build your tools so that when inspiration strikes you won't be technically disabled (build your tools so you can think on your feet), and you must keep assimilating all of these basic principles until they eventually become second nature enabling you to maximize your inspiration (study relentlessly to build the instincts necessary to transcend the mechanics and create art).

That said, I'd like to share some excerpts with you from Joe's (or Janet's) book "The Art and Magic of Quarterbacking" (or "Songwriting") that really resonated with me:

"From practice and hard work come instincts. From instincts come art – and on the best days, if you’re fortunate, some magic."

"Developing the ‘touch’ is something that is acquired through repetition and drill work."

"We never stop working on the fundamentals. We don’t leave all that stuff in training camp."

"A game can’t be mastered without studying the playbook. And I mean study."

"You really have only one goal when you’re on the practice field. To walk off it a better player than you were when you got there. That means taking it seriously and addressing your weaknesses."

"Practice. No short cut around that. You can never be too in shape. You can never be accurate enough, because you can never perfect the art of throwing to someone who is moving. You can never study enough film, and you can never go over your playbook pages too much... It won’t come easy – but nothing worthwhile ever does."

"You will face adversity. For every magic moment I’ve had, I’ve been picked off, benched, thrown down or knocked cold. Every athlete has doubts and low points."

"Be relentless, keep getting back up."

And last but not least, the phrase that Janet instilled into my very core (again, here by Joe):

"It comes down to one thing: preparation."

What can I say except -- thank you Janet for work ethics that have served me well as a musician, a music industry professional and a person!

The Art and Magic of Quarterbacking (book) - Joe Montana

Joe Montana's Art and Magic of Quarterbacking: The Secrets of the Game from One of the All-Time Best

Joe Montana Links:
Joe Montana Wikipedia

Top 20 Figure of Speeches

2007-10-24T21:50:00.001-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example: n/a
Songwriting Tools: Link to literary tools (aka songwriting and lyrics tools)

Thanks to Richard Nordquist at about.com, here is a link to the Top 20 Figures of Speech (aka useful songwriting and lyric tools).

Richard Nordquist: Top 20 Figure of Speeches
http://grammar.about.com/od/rhetoricstyle/a/20figures.htm

Richard Nordquist, Ph.D. in English and rhetoric, is a professor of English and the author of two grammar and composition textbooks for college freshmen, Writing Exercises and Passages: A Writer's Guide.

Passages: A Writer's Guide

Passages: A beginning writer's guide
(sorry no photo)

Didn't We?

2007-10-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
"Didn't We?" music and lyrics by Jimmy Webb

Okay, so it's surprising to me that I waited until my 12th blog to write about a Jimmy Webb song -- but better late than never! If you're not familiar with Jimmy Webb, you may at least be familiar with some of his handiwork -- "MacArthur Park," "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," "All I Know," "Up Up and Away," "Wichita Lineman," etc. He's also written a great book on songwriting which I highly recommend called "Tunesmith: The Art of Songwriting". You may also want to check out his CD "Ten Easy Pieces". It's definitely one of my favorites (love his piano style as well).

And now for today's song -- "Didn't We?" The most amazing thing to me is that he wrote this song when he was in college (probably about 18 years old). Wow. Makes me either want to give up songwriting completely or try a lot harder (depends on the day!).

"Didn't We"
By Jimmy Webb (music and lyrics)

This time we almost made the pieces fit, didn't we?
This time we almost made some sense of it, didn't we?
This time I had the answer right here in my hand,
Then I touched it, and it had turned to sand.

This time we almost sang our song in tune, didn't we?
This time we almost made it to the moon, didn't we?
This time, we almost made our poem rhyme
And this time we almost made that long hard climb.

Didn't we almost make it?
Didn’t we almost make it?
Didn’t we almost make it this time?

Simple. Simple. Simple. Yet so moving and, quite frankly, poetry to my ears. Note the use of another lyric songwriting tool...the question (which in this case is used poignantly throughout the song without being cliche). Now I will say that the melody is also quite beautiful - the line soars through the phrases 'this time we almost made our poem rhyme' and 'this time we almost made that long hard climb' (with a big 'build' here to reflect that long hard climb). And then the line resolves through to the end (as the singer resigns himself) with the lyrics 'Didn't we almost make it this time?'

Wonderful CD... Ten Easy Pieces with "Didn't We" as well as inspired versions of many of his hits - performed by none other than Jimmy Webb!

Ten Easy Pieces

Jimmy Webb Links:
Jimmy Webb: Ten Easy Pieces CD
Jimmy Webb Wikipedia
NashvilleSongwritersFoundation.com

Everybody Ought To Have A Maid

2007-10-11T22:08:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
"Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
(from the play A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum)
Songwriting Tools: double entendre, similes, alliteration, assonance

And now for something completely different... A marvelous, comedic song by Stephen Sondheim with a wonderful rhyming scheme. I decided to add this song to illustrate to my class how an essentially repetitive lyric can be spiced up with intelligent and clever rhymes so that the listener is always amused and never bored. Personally, I can listen to this song endlessly... as a matter of fact I do (believe it or not) as it happens to be one of my favorite songs to listen to while jogging -- the lyrics are engaging and amusing (makes me chuckle even when I'm gasping to catch my breath!), and the tempo is just right!

One more thing: I will note here that one of my students said to me that using this song as a sample of Sondheim's work is like saying that a typical Marlon Brando movie is Guys and Dolls. Point well taken -- but I will add here that Guys and Dolls is one of my all-time favorite plays/movies/soundtracks anyway! Sorry Marlon!

Now if you're not familiar with the A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, it's the story of a Roman slave, Pseudolus, and his attempts to win his freedom (see link below for more details). The 'lead singer' of "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" is Senex, a Roman Senator, who is essentially a 'dirty old man'. (Pseudolus is owned by Senex's son Hero)

Here goes:

"Everybody Ought To Have A Maid"
Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics)

Maids like me. I'm neat
I like maids. They're neat
Something no household should be without.

Everybody ought to have a maid,
Everybody ought to have a working girl,
Everybody ought to have a lurking girl
To putter around the house.

Everybody ought to have a maid,
Everybody ought to have a menial
Consistantly congenial
And quieter than a mouse.

Oh, oh, wouldn't she be delicious,
Tidying up the dishes, Neat as a pin.
Oh, oh, wouldn't she be delightful,
Sweeping out, Sleeping in.

Everybody ought to have a maid,
Someone who you hire when you're short of help
To offer you the sort of help
You never get from a spouse.

Fluttering up the stairway,
Shuttering up the windows,
Cluttering up the bedroom,
Buttering up the master,
Puttering all around the house!

Oh, oh, wouldn't she be delicious,
Tidying up the dishes, Neat as a pin.
Oh, oh, wouldn't she be delightful,
Sweeping out, Sleeping in.

Everybody ought to have a maid,
Someone who in fetching you your slipper will
Be winsome as a whipporwill
And graceful as a grouse.

Skittering down the hallway,
Flittering through the parlor,
Tittering in the pantry,
Littering up the bedroom--
Puttering all around the house!

A maid? A maid. A maid. A maid!

Everybody ought to have a maid,
Everybody ought to have a serving-girl,
A loyal and unswerving girl,
Whose quieter than a mouse

Oh, oh, Think of her at the dustbin,
'Specially when she's just been Traipsing about.
Oh, oh, wouldn't she be delightful,
Living in, Giving out.

Everybody ought to have a maid,
Daintily collecting bits of paper n' strings,
Appealing in her apron strings
Beguiling in her blouse

Pattering through the attic,
Chattering in the cellar,
Clattering in the kitchen,
Flattering in the bedroom,
Puttering all around the house!
The house!
The house!
The house!

A maid? A maid. A maid. A maid!

Everybody ought to have a maid,
Someone who's efficient and reliable,
Obedient and pliable,
And quieter than a mouse!

Oh, oh, wouldn't she be so nimble,
Fiddling with her thimble, Mending her gown.
Oh, oh, wouldn't she be delightful,
Cleaning up, Leaning down.

Everybody ought to have a maid,
Someone who'll be busy as a bumblebee
And even if you grumble, be
As graceful as a grouse.

Wriggling in the anteroom,
Jiggling in the living room,
Giggling in the dining room,
Wiggling in the other rooms,
Puttering all around the house!
The house!
The house!
The house!

Take note of all the wonderful internal rhymes (i.e. delicious, the dishes) and the rhymes in general (working girl, lurking girl; short of help, sort of help) as well as the use of double entendre (definition below). Not to mention the use of similies (i.e. quieter than a mouse, graceful as a grouse, neat as a pin, busy as a bumblebee), alliteration (i.e. consistently congenial, beguiling in her blouse), assonance (sweeping out, sleeping in), shall I go on?

Defintion:
Double entendre: a term with two meanings, especially when one of them has a risque or indecorous connotation

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (CD) with "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid"

1996 Broadway Cast Revival (with Nathan Lane)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1996 Broadway Revival Cast)

1962 Original Broadway Cast (with Zero Mostel)
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (1962 Original Broadway Cast)

Stephen Sondheim Links:
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (1962 Original Broadway Cast CD)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1996 Broadway Revival Cast CD)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Wikipedia
Stephen Sondheim Wikipdia
Sondheim.com

I'm on a Carousel, a Crazy Carousel

2007-10-10T22:03:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
"Carousel" music and lyrics by Jacques Brel

Ah, another one of my favorite songwriters...Jacques Brel. What can I say, except that - even upon first hearing his songs (which were in French) - I could sense what they were about purely by the musical and lyrical phrasing alone. And the beauty was just enhanced when I heard the English lyric translations...

Now, this song is a particular favorite of mine because of the way it moves and builds. It starts very simply and beautifully with a 3/4 carnival-like feel and some wonderful lyrics that evoke vivid images. You can literally 'feel' the innocence, wonder and fun...and (I hate to say it, but) you actually feel as if you're on a wonderful carousel (with the breeze running through your hair...). As the song continues, things start moving a little faster - but it still feels soooo good... (lol -- boy this is fun!). By the second verse, the acceleration is significantly noticeable... and again, it's okay (at first), but as things keep moving faster and faster you begin to feel that maybe something's not so 'right' after all...(maybe you need to hold onto your seat for a little while). Mid-way through the second chorus, there's no doubt about it, this is not fun anymore... (I'd really like to get off now sir). Well, by the time you get to the third verse it's about time to start crying... I'm not kidding (I HAVE to get off now. I can't take it anymore. Please make it stop. Now!). Whew. By the end of this song my stomach is in knots. I just want to grab my head in my hands and scream. Now maybe it sounds like I'm exaggerating, but I will tell you, I've performed this song many times in public and it really (and organically) drives me in that direction. As a matter of fact, this is probably my most favorite song to perform just for that reason.

"Carousel"
By Jacques Brel (music and lyrics)

Carnivals and cotton candy
Carousels and calliopes
Fortune-tellers in glass cases
We will always remember these
Merry-go-rounds quickly turning
Quickly turning for you and me
And the whole world madly turning
Turning, turning 'till you can't see

We're on a carousel, A crazy carousel
And now we go around, Again we go around
And now we spin around, We're high above the ground
And down again around, And up again around
So high above the ground, We feel we've got to yell
We're on a carousel, A crazy carousel
We're on a ferris wheel, A crazy ferris wheel
A wheel within a wheel, And suddenly we feel
The stars begin to reel, And down again around
And up again around, And up again around
So high above the ground, We feel we've got to yell
We're on a carousel, A crazy carousel

Carnivals and cotton candy
Carousels and calliopes
Crazy clowns chasing brass rings
Soda pop and rock-candy trees
Merry-go-rounds quickly turning
Quickly turning for you and me
And the whole world madly turning
Turning, turning 'till you can't see

We're on a carousel, A crazy carousel
And now we go around, Again we go around
And now we spin around, We're high above the ground
And down again around, And up again around
So high above the ground, We feel we've got to yell
We're on a carousel, A crazy carousel
We're on a ferris wheel, A crazy ferris wheel
A wheel within a wheel, And suddenly we feel
The stars begin to reel, And down again around
And up again around, And up again around
So high above the ground, We feel we've got to yell
We're on a carousel, A crazy carousel
We're on a carousel, A crazy carousel
And now we go around, Again we go around
And now we spin around, We're high above the ground
And down again around, And up again around
So high above the ground, We feel we've got to yell
We're on a carousel, A crazy carousel

Carnivals and cotton candy
Carousels and calliopes
Kewpie-dolls with painted faces
Tricky shell games and missing peas
Merry-go-rounds quickly turning
Quickly turning for you and me
And the whole world madly turning
Turning, turning 'till you can't see

We're on a carousel, A crazy carousel
And now we go around, Again we go around
And now we spin around, We're high above the ground
And down again around, And up again around
So high above the ground, We feel we've got to yell
We're on a carousel, A crazy carousel
We're on a ferris wheel, A crazy ferris wheel
A wheel within a wheel, And suddenly we feel
The stars begin to reel, And down again around
And up again around, And up again around
So high above the ground, We feel we've got to yell
We're on a carousel, A crazy carousel
We're on a carousel, A crazy carousel
And now we go around, Again we go around
And now we spin around, We're high above the ground
And down again around, And up again around
So high above the ground, We feel we've got to yell
We're on a carousel, A crazy carousel
La, la, la, la - la, la, la, la La, la, la - la, la, la, la, la - la!

Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (CD) with "Carousel"

Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (1966 Original Off-Broadway Cast)

Jacques Brel Links:
Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (1966 Original Off-Broadway Cast)
Jacques Brel Wikipedia

Assonance, Similes and Metaphorically Speaking

2007-10-08T19:27:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
"Breathe (2AM)" music and lyrics by Anna Nalick
Songwriting Tools: Metaphor, Simile, Assonance, Alliteration

I've always been a big fan of well-written songs and tried-and-true songwriters, but I've found that, over the years, I've become less and less enthusiastic about embracing the work of current songwriters. I have to attribute this lack of pop-music passion to pure and simple burn-out from working in the 'business' for so long. All those years of being bombarded with 'must-have' music, 'quintessential' collections, '7-octave-range divas' (which is impossible by the way) and artists of 'genius' --- not to mention the daily grind of the marketing and promotional 'machinery' -- well, I just had to become impervious to all the noise and clutter. It was the only way I could stay 'centered' and maintain my own artistic integrity.

So imagine my surprise when I popped in a 'typical' artist's CD that had been laying around in my car for quite some time -- and found that I actually liked it! That hasn't happened to me in a very long time... What a welcomed relief! And a renewal of my faith in good songwriting. And the best part was, the songwriter used metaphors, similes, alliteration and assonance (which I love) in her lyrics [see definitions below]. Lots of great lyric writing tools and a beautiful 3/4 meter (which always 'gets' me). So that's the convoluted round-about story that compels me to talk about the use of assonance, similes and metaphors in lyrics! (note: I already spoke about Alliteration in lyrics in a prior blog, see Are You Alliterate?).

"Breathe (2AM)"
By Anna Nalick (music and lyrics)
(samples of assonance in bold)
(other literary tools noted at end of line)

2 AM and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake, (alliteration)
"Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?,
I don't love him. Winter just wasn't my season" (alliteration)
Yeah we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes
Like they have any right at all to criticize,
Hypocrites. You're all here for the very same reason

'Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable (metaphor, simile & alliteration)
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table (simile)
No one can find the rewind button, girl. (metaphor)
So cradle your head in your hands (alliteration)
And breathe... just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe

May he turn 21 on the base at Fort Bliss (alliteration)
"Just a day" he said down to the flask in his fist, (alliteration)
"Ain't been sober, since maybe October of last year."
Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while, (alliteration)
But, my God, it's so beautiful when the boy smiles, (alliteration)
Wanna hold him. Maybe I'll just sing about it.

Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table.
No one can find the rewind button, boys,
So cradle your head in your hands,
And breathe... just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe
There's a light at each end of this tunnel,
You shout 'cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out
And these mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again
If you only try turning around.

2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud (metaphor)
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to

But you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button now
Sing it if you understand.
and breathe, just breathe
woah breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe.

Definitions:

Metaphor: a figure of speech containing an implied comparison between two or more seemingly unrelated subjects. (i.e. the curtain of night, all the world’s a stage)

Simile: a figure of speech in which one thing is likened to another dissimilar thing typically marked by the use of “like”, “as” or “than” (i.e. the snow was as thick as a blanket, madder than a bull)

Assonance: Likeness of sound as in a series of words or syllables

Alliteration: a literary device in which the same sound appears at the beginning of two or more consecutive words. (i.e. High Hopes, Time After Time, Bell Bottom Blues).

Anna Nalick: Wreck of the Day (CD) contains "Breathe (2AM)"

Wreck of the Day

Anna Nalick Links:
Anna Nalick Wreck of the Day CD
AnnaNalick.com
Anna Nalick Wikipedia

Outside of a Small Circle of Friends

2007-10-07T22:00:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
"Outside of a Small Circle of Friends" music and lyrics by Phil Ochs

Today I'd like to talk about another great song. I first heard this song when I was in college and I liked it right away...primarily because of the rag-tag-old-time feel and of course because of the clever, cutting lyrics. I really hadn't given it much thought except that it was a 'funny' song that made a statement about human nature (i.e. how people tend to hide their heads in the sand when it comes to important issues...it's just 'easier' that way).

Well, that said, everything changed for me when I did a little research about it for my class. I was shocked to learn that Phil Ochs wrote this song as a commentary on the murder of 28-year old Kitty Genovese (see link below). She was murdered in New York City on Friday, March 13, 1964. 38 people heard her cries for help but no-one came to her aid... no-one even called the police. Not funny at all. Just horrible and chilling. I don't think I'll ever be able to listen to this song the same way again...

Outside Of A Small Circle Of Friends
By Phil Ochs (music and lyrics)

Look outside the window, there's a woman being grabbed
They've dragged her to the bushes and now she's being stabbed
Maybe we should call the cops and try to stop the pain
But Monopoly is so much fun, I'd hate to blow the game
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody
Outside of a small circle of friends.

Riding down the highway, yes, my back is getting stiff
Thirteen cars are piled up, they're hanging on a cliff.
Maybe we should pull them back with our towing chain
But we gotta move and we might get sued and it looks like it's gonna rain
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody
Outside of a small circle of friends.

Sweating in the ghetto with the colored and the poor
The rats have joined the babies who are sleeping on the floor
Now wouldn't it be a riot if they really blew their tops?
But they got too much already and besides we got the cops
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody
Outside of a small circle of friends.

Oh there's a dirty paper using sex to make a sale
The Supreme Court was so upset, they sent him off to jail.
Maybe we should help the fiend and take away his fine.
But we're busy reading Playboy and the Sunday New York Times
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody
Outside of a small circle of friends

Smoking marijuana is more fun than drinking beer,
But a friend of ours was captured and they gave him thirty years
Maybe we should raise our voices, ask somebody why
But demonstrations are a drag, besides we're much too high
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody
Outside of a small circle of friends

Oh look outside the window, there's a woman being grabbed
They've dragged her to the bushes and now she's being stabbed
Maybe we should call the cops and try to stop the pain
But Monopoly is so much fun, I'd hate to blow the game
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody
Outside of a small circle of friends

Phil Ochs: 20th Century Masters The Best of Phil Ochs (CD) with "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends"

20th Century Masters: Best Of Phil Ochs

Phil Ochs Links:
20th Century Masters: Best Of Phil Ochs CD
Info about the First Verse
Phil Ochs Wikipedia

Poor Ol' Kaw Liga

2007-10-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
"Kaw Liga" music and lyrics by Hank Williams Sr. and Fred Rose

One of my favorite songwriters of all time is Hank Williams Sr. Simple melodies, simple chords, simple structures, simple lyrics, simple sentiments -- but oh how wonderful and great when all those elements are weaved together. Today I'd like to share one of my favorite Hank songs with you (co-written by Fred Rose). Forgive some of the un-politically correct lyrics and please try to look at it from my perspective...this is just a sweet, clever story about the pangs of love...

Kaw Liga
(Recorded by Hank Williams)
(Written by Hank Williams and Fred Rose)

Kaw-liga was a wooden Indian standin’ by the door
He fell in love with an Indian maid over in the antique store
Kaw-liga just stood there and never let it show
So she could never answer yes or no.

He always wore his Sunday feathers and held a tomahawk
The maiden wore her beads and braids and hoped someday he’d talk
Kaw-liga too stubborn to ever show a sign
Because his heart was made of knotty pine.

Poor ol Kaw-liga, he never got a kiss
Poor ol Kaw-liga, he don’t know what he missed
Is it any wonder that his face is red
Kaw-liga, that poor ol wooden head...

Kaw-liga was a lonely Indian never went nowhere
His heart was set on the Indian maid with the coal black hair
Kaw-liga just stood there and never let it show
So she could never answer yes or no.

And then one day a wealthy customer bought the Indian maid
And took her, oh, so far away, but ol Kaw-liga stayed
Kaw-liga just stands there as lonely as can be
And wishes he was still an old pine tree.

Poor ol Kaw-liga, he never got a kiss
Poor ol Kaw-liga, he don't know what he missed
Is it any wonder that his face is red
Kaw-liga, that poor ol wooden head...

Hank Williams Gold CD (among many other hits collections) contains "Kaw-Liga"

Gold

Hank Williams Links:
Hank Williams: Gold CD
HankWilliams.com
Hank Williams Wikipedia

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off to Work We Go...

2007-10-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
Book Excerpts: Songwriting by Jason Blume; The Craft and Business of Songwriting by John Braheny; Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting by Jimmy Webb; The Craft of Lyric Writing by Sheila Davis

To continue with the theme of songwriting as hard work, I thought I'd share some interesting quotes about songwriting:

"There are no magic formulas that guarantee hits - but there are tools, techniques and principles that can help us to express ourselves through our songs so that we can communicate what we feel in such a way that our listeners feel it too. With lots of practice, these tools, techniques and principles can be assimilated to such a degree that you won't even have to think about them." -- 6 Steps to Successful Songwriting by Jason Blume

"Learn the techniques and structures so well that when the great idea or inspiration comes, your technical ability doesn't hinder your creativity. Learn and practice the basics so they become second nature. Then when you are ready to create something new or the inspiration hits you, the building blocks will already be in place. We all like to think that there are shortcuts to life and sometimes they do work for a while, but I feel it is better to learn the trade so that you can understand the tricks of the trade." -- Mike Sistad (Nashville Director of Media Relations, ASCAP)

"Songwriting is a game of organizing ideas, a kind of word-engineering and problem-solving experience, like a jigsaw puzzle in which the pieces come from rhyming dictionaries, thesauruses and real life and in which there are several right ways to put the pieces together. Knowledge of the most effective construction principles provides goals and methods for assembling a clear picture." -- The Craft and Business of Songwriting by John Braheny

"Songwriters who can sit down and write a hit song in ten minutes usually have the craft down so well that they don't think about it. It's automatic. On the other hand, most professional songwriters typically write many pages to get one great line or will write several mediocre-to-good songs for every song they consider great." -- The Craft and Business of Songwriting by John Braheny

"We must accomplish our aim and tell our entire story in a time frame of about three minutes (plus or minus). Every word, ever note must count. -- Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting by Jimmy Webb

"A lyricist must tell a complete story in usually less than one hundred words (not counting repeated choruses). There is no room in such a tight structure for words that don't pull their own weight." -- The Craft of Lyric Writing by Sheila Davis

I own all of these books, and they are all good reads...and good references for songwriters who enjoy building their understanding and tool sets.

This is the revised edition:
Six Steps to Songwriting Success, Revised Edition: The Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Marketing Hit Songs

Craft and Business of Songwriting 3rd Edition (Craft & Business of Songwriting)

Yes, I know, this book is all over my Blog, but it's a darn good one!
TuneSmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting

The Craft of Lyric Writing

Songwriting as Hell on Earth?

2007-10-03T20:27:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
Book Excerpt: Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting by Jimmy Webb

I've always found songwriting, or any serious writing for that matter, a complete struggle -- and at one time I even considered giving it up completely, thinking that if I were 'meant' to be a writer everything would just come naturally. Well my moment of vindication finally came when I read something that Jimmy Webb wrote...

"Most amateurs do not regard the writing of songs as serious hard work... In reality, however, songwriting is Hell on Earth. If it isn't, then you're doing it wrong." -- Jimmy Webb, Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting

Talk about taking the 'edge' off. This little bit of wisdom went a long way in making me realize that the 'struggle' is part of the process -- and it's okay. And no matter how good you get, you'll continue to struggle as you strive to develop and re-fine your craft. Ultimately, that's the only way an artist can grow.

Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting (book) - Jimmy Webb

TuneSmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting

Jimmy Webb Links:
Jimmy Webb: TuneSmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting Book
JimmyWebb.com
Jimmy Webb Wikipedia

Colloquialisms...Doin' What Comes Naturally

2007-10-02T19:56:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
"I Won't Be Home No More" music and lyrics by Hank Williams Sr.
Songwriting Tools: Colloquialisms

By far one of my favorite lyric writing tools is Colloquialisms [definition below]. I find that using these familiar phrases can really lend an easy, unforced feel to a song. Hank Williams Sr. (incidentally one of my favorite songwriters of all time) sets a great example of the effective use of colloquialisms in the song lyrics for "I Won't Be Home No More":

"I Won't Be Home No More"
By Hank Williams (music and lyrics)

Well, you're just in time to be too late
I tried to but I couldn't wait
And now I 've got another date
So I won't be home no more

You're just in time to miss the boat
So don't take off your hat and coat
Be on your way, that's all she wrote
'Cause I won't be home no more.

I stood around a month or two
And waited for your call
Now I 'm too busy pitchin' woo
So come around next fall

I scratched your name right off my slate
And hung a sign on my front gate
You're just in time to be too late
And I won't be home no more.

Well, you're just in time to turn around
And drive your buggy back to town
You looked me up I turned you down
And I won't be home no more

You're just in time to change your tune
Go tell your troubles to the moon
And call around next May or June
'Cause I won't be home no more.

I used to be the patient kind
Believed each alibi
But that's all done, I 've changed my mind
I 've got new fish to fry

Well, you're just in time to celebrate
The things you didn't calculate
You're just in time to be too late
And I won't be home no more.

I recognized at least seven colloquialisms in these lyrics. And although this isn't necessarily a colloquialism (and some may argue that point), I have to say that my favorite phrase in the song is 'Well, you're just in time to celebrate the things you didn't calculate' -- I certainly would have never thought of rhyming 'celebrate' with 'calculate' -- gotta love that Hank!

Definition:

Colloquialism: familiar expressions; phrases or idioms characteristic of informal speech (i.e. now or never, your place or mine, sooner or later) (note: idiom = language or dialect of a people)

The Original Singles Collection (CD) by Hank Williams with "I Won't Be Home No More"

Original Singles Collection...Plus

Hank Williams Links:
Hank Williams: Original Singles Collection CD
HankWilliams.com
Hank Williams Wikipedia

Are You Alliterate?

2007-09-30T21:18:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example: n/a
Songwriting Tools: Alliteration

Okay, so today I want to talk about an extremely effective tool for punching up lyrics...alliteration (definition below). Alliteration actually augments accentuation and can really pack a phrase with a powerful punch. Should I go on? Sorry, I didn't mean to be too cute, but I couldn't resist...

But seriously now... I have a good (or bad?) habit of torturing myself when it comes to writing lyrics and/or any 'copy' for that matter. I'm one of 'those' people that constantly writes and re-writes, continually re-fining everything until I feel (at least) relatively certain that I found the 'right' words to express what I wanted to say in a succinct and 'musical' manner. And when I hit on a phrase that has a certain kind of 'ring' to it, I've hit my musical mecca. That said, I've found alliteration to be a very useful tool in creating those memorable, roll-off-your-tongue phrases that can really add power and musicality to your lyrics.

As I move through the next few blog posts, I will talk briefly about other useful tools for writing lyrics. Then I will post a few blogs that give some clear examples of the use of alliteration in songs.

Definition:

Alliteration: a literary device in which the same sound appears at the beginning of two or more consecutive words. (i.e. High Hopes, Time After Time, Bell Bottom Blues).

At a Loss for Words...

2007-09-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
"Here Comes That Rainbow Again" music and lyrics by Kris Kristofferson

I decided to start this Lyrics in Songwriting blog because I'm teaching a music composition class and I noticed that many of my students (who are music majors) have great ears for melody and harmony but are coming up short when it comes to writing strong lyrics. Of course they're immersed in music and performance classes all day long so they're constantly sharpening their musical skills -- but they're not necessarily enrolled in other courses that explore non-musical creative disciplines that would also be helpful to them as emerging artists. It seems to me that it would be extremely beneficial to them if they were also required to study literature and creative writing as part of the music program. But, unfortunately, literature is not a requisite course for most music majors, so here I am starting a blog to essentially 'muse' about lyric writing and study some of my favorite songs to see what makes them tick.

Okay, so the first song I want to talk about is "Here Comes That Rainbow Again" by Kris Kristofferson. It's a 'simple' song, but I've always found that the simplest songs are sometimes the hardest to write. It's basically three chords (I, IV, V) with a modulation mid-way through the song. No bridge. Just Verse Verse Chorus Verse Verse Chorus. Not much rhyming, just on the 2nd and 4th lines of the verses (and not always perfect rhymes at that). Plain and simple yet powerful and very clever. And based on a scene from The Grapes of Wrath.

"Here Comes That Rainbow Again"
By Kris Kristofferson (music and lyrics)

The scene was a small roadside cafe
The waitress was sweeping the floor
Two truck drivers drinking their coffee
And two Okie kids by the door

"How much are them candies?" they asked her
"How much have you got?" she replied
"We've only a penny between us"
"Them's two for a penny" she lied

And the daylight grew heavy with thunder
With the smell of the rains on the wind
Ain't it just like a human
Here comes that rainbow again

One truck driver called to the waitress
After the kids went outside
"Them candies ain't two for a penny"
"So what's it to you?" she replied

In silence they finished their coffee
And got up and nodded goodbye
She called, "Hey you left too much money"
"So what's it to you?" they replied

And the daylight grew heavy with thunder
With the smell of the rains on the wind
Ain't it just like a human
Here comes that rainbow again

These lyrics hook me in right from the start. I can actually picture the cafe, the waitress, the truck drivers and the kids in action -- like a slice of real-life Americana. Or a scene from a movie. Simple, yet descriptive and real. Verse 1 literally sets up the scene for me. The second verse starts the action (let's call it Act 1). Great colloquial dialogue. And the best part for me - the words 'she lied'. That's the 'twist' the 'aha' moment when we're clued into the 'secret' that maybe all's not what it seems to be. Love it. Although the chorus is not one of my favorites (sorry) it echos the idea that through the course of the ordinary/tough/drab day, human beings can do wonderful, surprising little things that can literally turn the ordinary into something special. Verse 3 continues the story (Act 2) with an implied 'scolding/accusation' from the truck drivers and a defensive 'mind your own business' reply from the waitress. Now for Verse 4 (or act 3, the finale). The first two lines are descriptive, simple but again, vivid like a scene from a movie. Then the lyrics come in for the proverbial kill - the final twist, the unexpected 'pay it forward' conclusion. There are two things that I especially like about these last two lines. Number one is the phrase 'she called' - it implies that the truck drivers are literally out-the-door (such a 'neutral' phrase and yet what a vivid picture it paints). Number two is the truck drivers' reply which is identical to the waitress' reply to the truck drivers in Verse 3. Perfect resolution, but what else would you expect from Kristofferson?

The Essential Kris Kristoffersson (CD) with "Here Comes That Rainbow Again"

The Essential Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson links:
Kris Kristofferson: The Essential Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson Wikipedia
KrisKristofferson.com

By the Time I Get to Phoenx

2007-10-14T02:00:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
"By the Time I Get to Phoenix" music and lyrics by Jimmy Webb
Book Excerpt: Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting by Jimmy Webb

To continue with my accolades on Jimmy Webb's book about songwriting, here are some excerpts. Again, I would highly recommend this book to songwriters, new and old, far and wide...

EXCERPTs from Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting - by Jimmy Webb, Chapter 3, pgs 37-42

We must accomplish our aims and tell our entire story in a time frame of about three minutes (plus or minus). Every word, every note must count.
__________________________

Usually there is only room for one or two characters in our little radio plays and perhaps fifty seconds for each act. We have to get while the getting’s good. What this means is that we have been challenged with accomplishing an almost impossible task exquisitely. We are the Swiss watchmakers of music and literature. It is our complete understanding of what constitutes a song “idea” that enables us to do this at all.
__________________________

Let’s always ask the questions or establish the ambiguities first whether in a song like:

Why does the sun keep on shining?
Why do the waves rush to shore?
Don’t they know it’s The End of the World
‘Cause you don’t love me anymore…
- Sylvia Dee & Arthur Kent,“The End of the World”

Or

When I come home feeling tired and beat,
I go up where the air is fresh and sweet…
- G. Goffin & C. King “Up On the Roof”

Where is she going? There is an implied mystery. We are all curious about where we’re going – but we really don’t want to know until we get there. It spoils the fun. Let’s pursue this for a moment:

By the Time I Get to Phoenix she’ll be rising…
- Jimmy Webb “By the Time I Get to Phoenix"

The first line of the song. We don’t know who is speaking and we don’t know about whom he’s speaking, but we do know that he’s on his way to Phoenix, presumably in the early hours of the morning since by the time he arrives there another person – a woman – will have awakened and will be leaving her bed. It is a situation that is meant to pique our curiosity. Who is the man? Who is the woman? Why is he on his way to Phoenix? This is the songwriter’s counterpart of the first lines of a three-act play in miniature. Eventually during the course of this three-minute song in three verses after passing through Albuquerque and discovering that our ultimate destination is Oklahoma, we come finally to these lines:

...and she will cry to think that I would really leave her,
Though time and time again I’ve tried to tell her so…
She just didn’t know that I would really go…
- Jimmy Webb “By the Time I Get to Phoenix"

What if we had started the song with the last line? There would have been no story to tell. In the early stages of a song ambiguity is essential as in:

Oh I can’t forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving…
- Peter Ham & Tom Evans ”Without You”

Don’t we want to know more about this man and the person to whom he is singing? And don’t we explode emotionally with the writer and the singer when they admit finally:

I can’t live if livin’ is Without You
- Peter Ham & Tom Evans ”Without You”

It would have been a waste if the first line of the song had been “I can’t live, if livin’ is without you.” So the placement of the title/idea is of great importance and consequently we usually find it at the end of a verse or in the first strong expository lines of the chorus, or perhaps as a conclusive statement at the last line of the chorus. Sometimes, particularly in the case of two-verse forms, we will only hear it once at the very end of the song.

A great song idea usually utilizes an interesting hook line or title and incorporates it into a fully realized scenario that reveals in careful, logical stages the true goal or intent of the writer. This is the “developmental” component of a verse. For instance, in “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” it is composed of the lines after the “teaser”:

By the Time I Get to Phoenix she’ll be rising
She’ll find the note that I left hanging on her door
And she will laugh to read the part that says I’m leavin’
‘Cause I’ve left that girl too many times before
- Jimmy Webb “By the Time I Get to Phoenix"

Well, if this isn’t a soap opera in the making then I’ve never heard one! We find out some interesting things very quickly: that he’s left a note on her door, that it’s a farewell note that will cause her some amusement and that as a note-leaver our hero is perhaps a repeat offender. Now this is the way we build up the story, the meat and muscle of the inner lines of verses…the strong tissue that connects the sometimes deceptively nondescript opening line with the “hammer,” or at Motown in the old days, the “message,” the hook, line and sinker, what have you. In the case of “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” the hammer doesn’t land until the very end of the last verse when we find out that as smug as she may be, the one who has been left behind is in for a rude surprise, “And she will cry to think that I would really leave her…” This time he means it. This is the O’Henry-esque twist or surprise ending that is common to the true ballad and is probably descended from the storyteller by the hearthside.

Try working backward. If my authority is not sufficient on the subject then listen to Stephen Sondheim: “I find it useful to write backwards, and I think most lyric writers probably do too when they have a climax, a twist, a punch, a joke.”

Look at that big chorus line like “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’” and ask yourself where that story begins. You could find yourself beginning a verse as brilliantly as this:

You never close your eyes anymore
When I kiss your lips…
- Mann, Weil & Spector “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’”

In this instance there is obvious evidence of the writers’ extremely well-honed observational techniques. The fact that she no longer closes her eyes is a small thing but the protagonist has noticed it and it has immediately put us (the listeners) on extremely intimate footing with both the singer and the object of his desire. It is also interesting to note that we are eavesdroppers on this conversation, which we could assume is taking place in a hotel room, on a beach or in the backseat of an automobile. This will be the songwriters’ primary communicatory device: they are going to let us overhear one side of a conversation that under normal circumstances we would not even consider auditing.

All of the above is from the book, in Jimmy Webb's own words.

Now, for everyone's reference, here are the complete lyrics to "By the Time I Get to Phoenix."

By The Time I Get To Phoenix
By Jimmy Webb (music and lyrics)

By the time I get to Phoenix she'll be risin'.
She'll find the note I left hangin' on her door.
She'll laugh when she reads the part that says I'm leavin',
'Cause I've left that girl so many times before.

By the time I make Albuquerque she'll be workin'.
She'll prob'ly stop at lunch and give me a call.
But she'll just hear that phone keep on ringin',
off the wall, that's all.

By the time I make Oklahoma she'll be sleepin',
She'll turn softly and call my name out low.
And she'll cry just to think I'd really leave her,
'Tho' time and time I've tried to tell her so.
She just didn't know I would really go.

An amazing book and an amazing CD, in my humble opinion!

TuneSmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting

Ten Easy Pieces

Jimmy Webb Links:
Jimmy Webb: TuneSmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting
Jimmy Webb: Ten Easy Pieces
JimmyWebb.com/
Jimmy Webb Wikipedia

High Hopes

2007-10-15T20:56:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
"High Hopes" by Sammy Cahn (lyrics) and Jimmy Van Heusen (music)

Now for yet another change of pace. This song has been one of my many favorites growing up. It's from a charming and heart-warming movie called A Hole in the Head with Frank Sinatra, Edward G. Robinson, Carolyn Jones, Thelma Ritter and Eleanor Parker.

"High Hopes"
By Sammy Cahn (lyrics) and Jimmy Van Heusen (music)

Next time you're found, with your chin on the ground
There a lot to be learned, so look around

Just what makes that little old ant
Think he'll move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant, can't
Move a rubber tree plant

But he's got high hopes, he's got high hopes
He's got high apple pie, in the sky hopes
So any time you're gettin' low'stead of lettin' go
Just remember that ant
Oops there goes another rubber tree plant

When troubles call, and your back's to the wall
There a lot to be learned, that wall could fall

Once there was a silly old ram
Thought he'd punch a hole in a dam
No one could make that ram, scram
He kept buttin' that dam'

Cause he had high hopes, he had high hopes
He had high apple pie, in the sky hopes
So any time you're feelin' bad'stead of feelin' sadLinks:Just remember that ram
Oops there goes a billion kilowatt dam

All problems just a toy balloon
They'll be bursted soon
They're just bound to go pop
Oops there goes another problem kerplop
Oops, there goes another problem kerplop
Oops, there goes another problem kerplop
Kerplop!

It's funny how songs can bring back such distinct memories. I can remember like it was only yesterday...I must have been around 10 years old...I was skating around 'the block' and I was just about completely winded, ready to give up - but I started singing this song to myself and made it all the way home.

DVD: A wonderful, heart-warming movie A Hole in the Head - Sinatra sings "High Hopes" to his 'son' (who joins in). Delightful movie!

A Hole in the Head

You can find "High Hopes" on these Sinatra CDs: Sinatra The Capitol Years and Best of the Capitol Years

The Capitol Years

The Best of the Capitol Years

Sinatra Links:
A Hole in the Head DVD starring Frank Sinatra and Edward G. Robinson
Frank Sinatra: The Best of the Capitol Years
Frank Sinatra: The Capitol Years
A Hole in the Head Wikipedia
High Hopes Wikipedia
Frank Sinatra Wikipedia
FrankSinatra.com

Back in Action

2009-08-21T20:04:00.000-07:00

First of all, I am so encouraged that people thought enough of my blog to post comments -- especially since I haven't posted anything in almost two years! Of course I had every intention of posting every week, but life kind of 'got in the way'. That's a pretty pitiful excuse I know, except that I was trying hard over the last two years to build a business and make ends meet.

But, lately I've been worried that I've given up too much of myself in the process -- so much so, that I've lost touch with how music used to make me feel (over-the-top ridiculously happy, sad, inspired, focused, absolutely moved to the core!). Now that's a scary thing to have to admit, especially for a musician and especially on a blog for all to see.

That said, I decided that the best course of action for me would be to purposely re-engage with myself, with music and with the creative process...even if I'm not inspired to do so... in other words, (hummm, how does that saying go???)...

"If the mountain will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mountain!"

So this is me, committing to blogging here again in the hopes that I will reach an artistic tipping point that brings me back to what I love most about music and art and literature and life...

Lyrical Tool Box

2007-10-19T21:41:00.000-07:00

Lyrics in Songwriting Example: n/a
Songwriting Tools: Metaphor, Simile, Alliteration, Assonance, Colloquialism, Question

Just a quick recap of some useful lyrics writing tools discussed so far:

Metaphor: a figure of speech containing an implied comparison between two or more seemingly unrelated subjects. (i.e. the curtain of night, all the world’s a stage) (see Assonance, Similes and Metaphorically Speaking Lyrics in Songwriting Blog for examples)

Simile: a figure of speech in which one thing is likened to another dissimilar thing typically marked by the use of “like”, “as” or “than” (i.e. the snow was as thick as a blanket, madder than a bull) (see Assonance, Similes and Metaphorically Speaking Lyrics in Songwriting Blog for examples)

Alliteration: a literary device in which the same sound appears at the beginning of two or more consecutive words. (i.e. Time After Time, High Hopes, Bell Bottom Blues). (see Are You Alliterate? Lyrics in Songwriting Blog)

Assonance: Likeness of sound as in a series of words or syllables. (see Assonance, Similes and Metaphorically Speaking Lyrics in Songwriting Blog for examples)

Colloquialism: familiar expressions; phrases or idioms characteristic of informal speech (i.e. now or never, your place or mine, sooner or later) (note: idiom = language or dialect of a people) (see Colloquialisms...Doin' What Comes Naturally Lyrics in Songwriting Blog for examples)

Question: inquiry (i.e. this time we almost made it, didn't we?) (See Didn't We? Lyrics in Songwriting Blog for examples)